Electronics manufacturers feel the need to load up their products with facilities. My new smart TV connects itself to the internet as soon as I turn it on, and it tells me about it. It's an Android device, and easy to use, etc., but to be honest I have no idea what it's up to while we sit there, watching the latest Scandy drama. For all I know, it is quietly telling some database which programmes we watch. In the few months we have been together it has already updated itself twice - at least that's what it tells me.

Of course, I could find out what goes on, but so far I just haven't bothered. I think we'really becoming so used to using these things that we just leave them to do what they do without looking under the bonnet, and therein, as they say, lies the rub.

I imagine that one of the first things designers do, as they sit down to design the latest household device, is say 'let's make sure it can connect to the internet'. My son's new washing machine automatically connects to the web and downloads software updates. He can communicate with it from work via an app on his phone.

The world of technology is at the same time becoming more wonderful and more scary, and we all have to take steps to ensure that we have at least an idea of how our devices are chattering away via distant servers.

Our 'smart' TV, a Sony, takes minutes to load, during which time you can't switch channels. On occasions it fails to obey a remote control command and then switches itself off and on again along with the resulting loading delay again before returning to normal operation.

Updates can result in the channel list reverting to default factory setting and future recording details then being lost.

Actually trying to access the internet and typing an address via the TV remote is sufficiently challenging that it's rarely used. The only useful apps amongst dozens available are the BBC catch up service and YouTube.

My wife wanted to use the YouTube app for the first time the other night to watch Michael Ball live in concert from Manchester. After 10 minutes of stuttering and insufficient memory messages she gave up, put her coat on and went round to our daughters to continue watching.

She has fibre from Virgin, but the buffering there was a damn sight worse than our slow copper.